Marshal Yazov about Cunning of Allies in the Fight with Fascism

Recently the president V. Putin gave task to prepare uniform school history book. Today, after celebration of Victory Day I understand clearly that this task is exigeant. If it is feasible at all. After all its authors need to contrive to write so that, as they say, to please both the right and the left, the communists and liberals, the patriots and Russophobes.

If to be honest before oneself and history, it will be necessary to tell about I.V.Stalin's role in construction of socialism in the USSR, organization of repulse of the Hitlerite invasion and defeat of fascism.

Who from the Kremlin chiefs will allow it today, if they has invented absolutely mad theory: "Our people won without Stalin and his commanders".

Or else how to tell about the help of allies without underestimating and exaggerating its value? If consciousness of our pupils is under continuous attack of "theorists" broadcasting that victory in the Great Patriotic War was won by... the Americans?

We touched this theme in our holiday conversation with Marshal of the Soviet Union, veteran D.T.Yazov. Here you are what he told:

- Certainly we don't forget about contribution of our allies. Though speaking about creation of coalition of the anti-Hitlerite states, it must be always kept in mind that the USA and England held off until. Thus it is important to remember that in 1941 the senator then and the American president later Harry Truman spoke: "We should treat war as following. If the Germans win – it is worth helping the Russians. If the Russians win – we should help the Germans. Let them kill each other as much as possible, we will dictate them our conditions then".

So we got practically no help from other countries up to a battle of Moscow - only assurances of friendship. Only after the battle of Moscow, when the group of the army “Centre” was crushed, they understood that it went to the victory of the Red Army and they should helped it.

It was fall of 1941 when our management got the offer to organize meeting of three states for discussion of plans of the general fight against Germany – what’s the aim to be achieved? Stalin was against and it wasn't casual …

At last when there was a Battle of Stalingrad and it became clear to the whole world that the Germans would only retire, when the Germans were crushed near the Kursk salient, fundamental change in the Great Patriotic War took place - only then Stalin agreed to carry out such meeting. It took place in Tehran in 1943.

Only two questions were interesting to the Americans and British: how long could we fight against fascism without their help? The second - whether we would be able to help to crush Japan which was at war with the United States?

As to "the second front", Churchill suggested to open it on the southern battlefield – in Africa, Italy and so on. That is to seize as many countries of Europe as possible so that to put them under his control.

Stalin told: it won't do. Such opening of "the second front" couldn’t affect a course of fight against Germany in any way. With Roosevelt’s help he insisted, eventually, on the opening of "the second front" in Europe. Though he wasn’t against landing of the allied armies in Italy, Spain and other countries. The main thing – to destroy the German fascism.

As to "the second front", the Americans and British held off until. They promised to open it in 1942 – they didn't do it, they promised to do it in 1943 and again deceived. If you know when they opened it? In June, 6, 1944.

Principles of joint fight against fascism and post-war establishment in Europe were enshrined then at Yalta conference. Here except return of the Southern Kuril Islands to the Soviet Union they raised question of the future of Germany. We insisted that it should remain uniform, democratic state, while allies supported its division into parts.

According to their plans, Berlin should have been also divided into parts and be controlled by four states. It was necessary for them not to allow release of all Germany by the Red Army, to remain in its territory and to resist to the USSR, as it happened later...

It’s - the truth of Marshal D.T.Yazov not subjected to any conjuncture.

While what truth about war, "the second front" and allies we would get from the authors of new school history book?

Whether it will depend on relationship of Russia with the USA and Great Britain at that moment?...